AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley • Hacker News Board

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#21

Post by gigatree » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:24 PM UTC

abxyz wrote: post #13

Setting aside the uncanny valley, my understanding is that people like seeing people not because they look like people but because it conveys effort and investment on the part of another human being. We want to feel like we're worth someone else's time, in every context. We don't like to interact with people just because that's the only way we can interact but because humans are human. AI avatars are the exact opposi…

That’s why I disagree with the idea that salespeople will be the first to be replaced by AI. If anything, they’ll be the last to be replaced.

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#22

Post by asdfgjkl » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:24 PM UTC

So it's another case of "let's make a solution for nonexisting problem" in the world of AI?

We all hear promises of how AI will save the world and bring about technological innovation and solutions for hard problems, and what we get is replacement for a job that can be done much cheaper by a human being.

I am getting major crypto vibes here, promises of greatness and bringing nothing but unnecessary fluff.

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#23

Post by dgfitz » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:26 PM UTC

LLMs != AI. I’ll die on this hill.

Building products for a non-existent thing is reminiscent of pets.com

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#24

Post by isawczuk » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:30 PM UTC

bigyabai wrote: post #2

A16Z should rebrand as a ballistics company with the rate they've been shooting themselves in the foot recently.

Can you explain these statement? I'm probably out of the loop.

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#25

Post by TheGrognardling » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:31 PM UTC

It's encouraging to me that as AI becomes more lifelike, people are becoming more and more resistant to humanlike AI 'avatars' and the like - echoing Kevin Kelly's sentiments that widespread societal adoption of new technologies is usually slow, or even nonexistent in some cases. It seems like we're heading towards a crypto bubble scenario in many cases - and we'll find where AI is genuinely useful and where it's just bullshit.

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#26

Post by powvans » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:32 PM UTC

abxyz wrote: post #13

Setting aside the uncanny valley, my understanding is that people like seeing people not because they look like people but because it conveys effort and investment on the part of another human being. We want to feel like we're worth someone else's time, in every context. We don't like to interact with people just because that's the only way we can interact but because humans are human. AI avatars are the exact opposi…

Spot on. There's something instinctual about this. My kids (13,10,8) all love making art. When I show them AI tools that they could use to generate art or riff on existing art, they are actively opposed. They tell me that AI art is not real art, that AI tools for doing this sort of thing are gross, and they want nothing to do with it.

As a technologist I think "omg this is so cool" and it has been genuinely surprising to see how they actively rebuff it.

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#27

Post by localghost3000 » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:32 PM UTC

I wonder how long before someone figures out how to use this for tech interviews

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#28

Post by jmathai » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:33 PM UTC

abxyz wrote: post #13

Setting aside the uncanny valley, my understanding is that people like seeing people not because they look like people but because it conveys effort and investment on the part of another human being. We want to feel like we're worth someone else's time, in every context. We don't like to interact with people just because that's the only way we can interact but because humans are human. AI avatars are the exact opposi…

I want to interact with a computer like it's a computer. Clicking, dragging and cursing.

Who wants to interact with a computer as if it were a human?

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#29

Post by bpt3 » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:37 PM UTC

When can we escape a16z ramming worse than useless concepts down our throats and telling us how great they are in a sanctimonious fashion?

That will be the greatest advancement of the millennium for humankind.

Re: AI Avatars Escape the Uncanny Valley

#30

Post by tempodox » Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:38 PM UTC

powvans wrote: post #26

abxyz wrote: post #13

Setting aside the uncanny valley, my understanding is that people like seeing people not because they look like people but because it conveys effort and investment on the part of another human being. We want to feel like we're worth someone else's time, in every context. We don't like to interact with people just because that's the only way we can interact but because humans are human. AI avatars are the exact opposi…

Spot on. There's something instinctual about this. My kids (13,10,8) all love making art. When I show them AI tools that they could use to generate art or riff on existing art, they are actively opposed. They tell me that AI art is not real art, that AI tools for doing this sort of thing are gross, and they want nothing to do with it. As a technologist I think "omg this is so cool" and it has been genuinely surprisin…

Be glad your kids have such healthy instincts. I keep being amazed how kids see through the BS that adults fall for.